This invention relates to a method or process for the preparation of a tea product. More particularly, it relates to a process for steam-stripping desirable volatiles from ground tea and preparing a tea concentrate containing those volatiles.
Many methods have been described for the production of tea aromatic products. See Tea and Soluble Tea Products Manufacture, Nicholas D. Pintauro, Noyes Data Corp., Park Ridge, New Jersey, USA, 1977, pp. 180-212 for a comprehensive disclosure of such methods. Illustrative of such methods are those described in U.S. patents: Strobel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,472, February, 1973; Inredeco, Inc., British Pat. No. 855,423, Nov. 30, 1960; and D. Wetherilt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,334, Nov. 10, 1959 assigned to Afico SA, Switzerland. Extraction and simultaneous stripping of aromatics is described by Afico SA, British Patent No. 946,346, Jan. 8, 1964.
The flavors and aromas of freshly brewed tea have generally tended to be the standard against which soluble or "instant" tea products have been judged and efforts have, thus, been principally directed toward duplicating in soluble products those qualities of flavors and aromas of freshly brewed tea. Prior attempts for the most part have involved the addback to tea extracts of tea volatiles separated from tea by a variety of techniques. The separation and recovery of high quality tea volatiles has not, however, been entirely successful. Processing inefficiencies and complexities and undesirable flavor degradation of the tea volatiles or devolatilized tea, e.g., harshness or bitterness, have been especially evident.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing a concentrate of tea volatiles for use in a soluble tea product to provide enhanced flavor and aroma qualities.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a high-quality tea volatiles concentrate.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved process for steam stripping tea aromatics from ground tea leaves.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter.